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[Mandyo]

Hello Ladies, I've been following this forum for some time and happy to have finally joined. I have been post menopausal for 3 years and after a lot of deliberation and a consultation with a wonderful HRT specialist in Bristol, I started on HRT 1 week  ago.  I am taking Sandrena estradiol gel and  Utrogestan daily and vagifem 2 times a week. Since starting last Wednesday I have put on 3lbs and am so bloated, I'm also feeling tearful and irritable like I have a bad case of PMS and wanted to know how long this is likely to last. Is it just until my body gets used to these hormones it's not had any of for over 3 years or will it always feel like this. I realise I am probably being really impatient but cannot wait to feel like my old self again.

[Joyce]

Hi there, I'm only on oestrogen patches so not much help. Suffice to say it can take a while for your body to settle into HRT. Some ladies quicker than others.  We all want that magic overnight cure, unfortunately it very seldom works that way. Others will be along with more advice though.

 

[Dancinggirl]

Hi and Welcome Mandyo
This is a very good regime you've been given. What dosage of the gel are you using?  HAve you started with just one pump per day? I assume you are taking Utrogestan 100mg every day or at least most of the month?
I expect it will take some time for things to settle down - so, yes, I expect you do need to be patient.  Such rapid weight gain is unusual - perhaps it is fluid retention? By the way, can you share some of your meno history, age etc. - it helps us to support you if we have some background.
Hurdity is the expert here about Utrogestan so hopefully she will be along soon to advice.
DG x

[Mandyo]

Hi cubagirl thanks for your reply. It's so good to talk to people who know what I am going through. I'm the first out of my friends and family to go through the menopause so they don't understand how it feels. Anyway I will be patient and hopefully will start to feel better soon enough, it is early days after all. 

[Mandyo]

Hi Dancing girl thanks for your reply. My sandrena dosage is 1.0 mg gel in sachets which I apply once a day and the utrogestan is daily ( no breaks in the month). My meno history is I had a terrible peri- meno where I couldn't leave the house in case I had an flood ( this happened at work and in a restaurant which was awful. I have the hot flushes, aching joints, foggy head, memory loss, anxiety, feeling of no self worth, don't really like myself which makes me think people won't like me either. Then there's the issue of no libido ( and vaginal atrophy - no intimacy for 2years now). I have terrible mood swings and have had two episodes where I have completely lost the plot and it's a surprise that I still have friends as I'm not sure I deserve them! I went back and forth to my GP and all I was offered was localised HRT for the vaginal atrophy which wasn't successful as I have absolutely no libido so what was the point? In order to help preserve my marriage we decided to seek help and paid to see a HRT specialist last week and I am really hopeful that things will improve and that there's a silver lining.... 

[Dancinggirl]

Mandyo
Thank you for sharing your story. Sadly, I think it is quite typical to find no help with the GP - to many of them are not up to date with the complications as a result of the meno. I would definitely continue with local oestrogen as I still had VA even with full HRT - many women need both.
Give things a little time to settle.  Keep us posted about your progress.  DG x

[Hurdity]

Hi mandyo

 
from me too

You haven't said how old you are but I presume when you said post-menopausal for 3 years you haven't had a period for this long?

Usually once post-menopausal for this long your hormones will have settled to their lowest level and should be more or less stable - so fewer mood swings - but there will be a few women who fall outside this pattern.

If your body has been post-meno for this long you are right that it has had insufficient hormones, and will take a while to acclimatise.

I ask your age because I wondered how you thought about going back to a cycle - probably not an attractive prospect? It's just that some women do find that continuous progesterone is associated with low grade side effects all the time - including bloating - fluid retention such as it sounds like you are experiencing. I am on cyclical patch and progesterone and I always get a bit of bloating on the progesterone phase.

Keep up with it and see how you get on and do hope you feel better soon!

Hurdity x

[Mandyo]

Hi Hurdity thank you for your message. I am 48 years old and started the peri menopause around aged 43 and haven't had a period since I was 45. I wasn't given the option to have cyclical HRT but I would be most interested if it meant I wouldn't have to have the constant bloating. ( though I say that with trepidation as I suffered with endometriosis for years and haven't forgotten the pain associated with that when having a period.  I have to go back and see the HRT specialist in 3 months to review my progress. I am trying to think positively and hope that things will settle down by then.  All of the comments I am getting is giving me encouragement though so thank you.  Do you or any other ladies know if it's safe to take natural water retention tablets whilst on HRT? Mandyo xx

[Suzyq]

Him mandyo just wanted to wish you luck! I have been on hrt for nearly 6 weeks and although still messing with methods and doses it has already helped me tremendously. I was suffering really badly and have been for 5 years of peri. It really was hell. Now my anxiety is massively reduced as are palpitations dizziness, feeling just generally crap. I actually have some energy.... Hope it works well for you, but do not give up too quickly - it can take a while! For me I bloat on progesterone but only take for 12 days. I suspect it may settle down!!